Bête Noire
by FantasticMr.Socks
Summary: Red satin fills the tub in which demonic Prussian's lay; a nightmare haunts the subconscious and things are not always as they seem.     Happy Halloween!..Three...weeks early.


The overpowering stench of iron and rot wafted up the German's nostril's as he entered the house after a long day of work. The establishment lacked luminescence but after a quick flick of the light switch, the room erupted with a blinding lambent that caused the blonde to squint as his striking cerulean orbs adjusted to the contrast in brightness while fighting back the temptation to vomit at the horrid redolence that permeated the air he breathed. Light wasn't the only thing his home lacked, it lacked the presence of his brother whom, if he had been there, would have been the prime suspect in the cause of the smell.

The absence of anything Prussian unsettled the burly nation, until upon careful listening, did a sloshing din come from the bathroom bailiwick. In an attempt at stealth, Ludwig did not make haste toward the bathroom; rather he crept up the stairs, each one creaking and groaning under his weight. He fumbled for a light switch finding that once again he met a dark and eerie home. The switch upturned, the light flickered and buzzed as it fought to remain conscious until it succumbed to a filamental death. The German cursed and his nerves took hold of his psyche, caressing his subconscious and lulling the blonde into a bête noire nightmare of warping hallways and creaking hardwood.

In an attempt to banish the icy feeling of fear pricking at his sanity, he shook his head and inhaled steadily. Braving all, he trudged through the empty hallway, nearly gagging as the scent grew in potency. Ludwig pushed the door open and a look of horror washed over his face at the sight he beheld.

There basked the Prussian, a twisted cat like smirk adoring his face as he bathed in carmine satin with two ghastly pale creatures once and forever beautiful as the night sun blessed them with her silver beams of efflorescence. He had one arm around each of them, neck and chest bared as he rested against the edge of the tub; a low rumbling noise emitted from his person and those icy eyes scrutinized the muscle movement in the Prussian's chest as he chuckled.

Quickly, his head shot up; his distinct features visible, delicate and serene even with the wicked grin he held. The Prussian's arms slithered from the two women and their heads lolled to the side as the two sunk deeper into the tub and the living inhabitant rested on the edge closest to the disgust stricken male. Gilbert gave a small tsk and hum as he inspected his brother's face, before rising from the depths of the bloodstained water and engulfing himself in a, literal, red satin robe. The German couldn't help himself; he pressed the smaller male up against the colorless wall, fury and malice contorting his features as he hissed "_What have you done?" _

The older of the two seemed more displeased with the other's hateful gaze rather than the rough treatment and he tilted his head lightly as the other's hands gripped his arms with a bruising force. It was not unlike a mother, holding her child so that she would scold them for soiling new clothing, or some trivial matter, and Gilbert couldn't help but let a small scowl ghost over his smirk at such treatment. "Mmn…I have to say bruder…Your horrified expression was much more beautiful than this one…." His tone held a distance that told the German he wasn't all there and when Gilbert attempted to pat and or caress, Ludwig wasn't sure which, the German's face, the grip on the smaller man's arms tightened to a bruising force. The younger Beilschmidt was met with another tisk and suddenly their positions diverted and he felt the force of his back against the wall. He could feel the other's hot breath ghosting over his neck and the hairs on the back of his neck stood erect as the other gave another seemingly darker, rumbling chuckle. "You're so terrified West…It's only me…You have nothing to fear~" The Prussian's voice dropped in volume as he crooned into his brother's ear.

Gilbert smirked as he backed away from the German, who couldn't help but stay put in a state of entrancement by the coalescence of his brother's words and the sheer insanity of what was happening around him. He couldn't, however, take his eyes off of his brother's movement as he meandered back to the two drained victims in the tub. The Prussian's alabaster hand caressed a ginger lock from one of the girls and he gave a small sigh. "It's a shame really…I mean…they were quite beautiful…..Especially Rachel…but you know…I couldn't resist the urge to baptize myself in Bathory." Ludwig's cold gaze followed the Prussian as he turned to the brunette, who had still maintained her chocolate luster and a small grin danced across the elder's mouth.

"After all…You know how _enamored _I get with brunettes~" The German couldn't help but shudder at the words and he took a step forward despite the feeling of lead muscles. He watched as the Prussian circled the tub, a hawk enjoying the look of his catch with beady eyes and a gleam of mal-intent.

The room slowly grew darker, as a cloud passed over the moon and the silver sun absconded with the radiance and visibility. Even in the shadows of the room, his brother stood out in an eerie ethereal glow as he resumed his position on the edge of the tub, a finger disturbing the unsettling peace of the vermillion pool. "You know…I'm rather pleased you showed when you did…I was growing bored of the lifeless company…and you'll add such a vibrant colour to the floor…after all…I never did enjoy the white tile" The Prussian's sick smirk returned as he ascended upon him and-

The German shot up from his pillow, disturbing the Prussian sleeping peacefully next to him. His hair clung to his face, sweat acting as an adhesive as he panted heavily and tried to shake the nightmare from his mind while his brother rose from the bed, squinting as he had yet to fully extradite himself from slumber. "West…?" His tone held inquiry and Ludwig found it less helpful in expelling his nightmare. "Nothing…It's nothing…go back to sleep." He sounded unsure to himself, but knowing that Gilbert still hung to the clutches of lethargy, it was unlikely that the garnet eyed male would question him further.

His knowledge preceded him and the Prussian lowered himself down to the embrace his love affair with languor without further interrogation as to why the other awoke so suddenly. Unbeknownst to the ex-nation, the German would continue to watch him sleep, comforted by the notion that the tranquil man next to him wasn't the demon lunatic from his dreams.


End file.
